CS2 Knife & Glove Trade-Up Guide: Best Recipes
radoslaw-davidovic
The October 2025 CS2 Update remains one of the most controversial topics. Of course, the reason lies in the updated Trade-Up system, which finally allows users to use five Covert skins and try to get a coveted Butterfly Knife or Karambit. While there are many guides on how to Trade Up in general, today we want to share more detailed information, including the best Trade-Ups in CS2.
Want to know which exact Covert skins you need to get a desirable Knife or Gloves? Then follow our material to know everything and to avoid any misunderstandings.
In article you will find:
How to Trade Up to a Knife?
“Can you Trade Up to a Knife?” No wonder such a question was so popular these months. The reason lies in the fact that for years, players have had a simple ceiling with Covert skins as the maximum possible result. In other words, the only thing you have needed is to use ten Classified skins in a trade-up contract.
But how to Trade Up a Knife? Well, the new Trade Up system works the same way, but with a slight difference. Players who want to get a Knife need only five Covert skins. Of course, the final result strongly depends on the skins and the collections they belong to. No less important is the availability of the StatTrak system and the float level.
Knife Trade Ups:
Here, we share the Best Trade-Ups for a Knife. To avoid any misunderstandings, we explore each knife model and the Covert skins players need to get it.
How to Trade Up a Butterfly Knife?
The guaranteed way to Trade Up a Butterfly Knife is to use the Covert skins from The Breakout Collection. It includes M4A1-S | Cyrex and P90 | Asiimov.
How to Trade Up a Bayonet?
Since there isn’t any collection that contains only Bayonet finishes, the best way to increase your chances is to use Covert skins, which belong to a maximum of 2 cases. In other words, use Glock-18 | Wasteland Rebel from The Gamma Collection or AK-47 | Neon Revolution from The Gamma 2 Collection.
How to Trade Up a Bowie Knife?
Players must use M4A4 | The Battlestar or AK-47 | Fuel Injector from The Wildfire Collection to get a Bowie Knife.
How to Trade Up a Classic Knife?
For a Classic Knife, the only choice is The CS20 Collection, which contains FAMAS | Commemoration and AWP | Wildfire.
How to Trade Up a Falchion Knife?
With a Falchion Knife, the best possible option is to use AWP | Hyper Beast and AK-47 | Aquamarine Revenge from The Falchion Collection.
How to Trade Up a Flip Knife?
Similar to Bayonet, players need to use the Covert skins from The Gamma Collection and The Gamma 2 Collection. It includes weapon finishes like M4A1-S | Mecha Industries and FAMAS | Roll Cage, respectively.
How to Trade Up a Gut Knife?
One more CS2 knife, which is available in different collections. Our recommendation is to use Covert skins from The Gamma Collection and The Gamma 2 Collection: M4A1-S | Mecha Industries, Glock-18 | Wasteland Rebel, AK-47 | Neon Revolution, and FAMAS | Roll Cage.
How to Trade Up a Huntsman Knife?
To get a Huntsman Knife, you need to use AK-47 | Vulkan or M4A4 | Desert Strike from The Huntsman Collection.
How to Trade Up a Karambit?
To get an iconic Karambit, follow the exact instructions as for a Gut Knife, Flip Knife, and Bayonet. In other words, use in a trade-up contract one of the Covert skins from The Gamma Collection and The Gamma 2 Collection: M4A1-S | Mecha Industries, Glock-18 | Wasteland Rebel, AK-47 | Neon Revolution, and FAMAS | Roll Cage.
How to Trade Up a Kukri Knife?
For a Kukri Knife, CS2 players can use Covert skins from two collections: The Gallery Collection and The Kilowatt Collection. It includes M4A1-S | Vaporwave, Glock-18 | Gold Toof, AK-47 | Inheritance, and AWP | Chrome Cannon.
How to Trade Up a M9 Bayonet?
M9 Bayonet has a chance to be obtained through trade-up contracts by using Covert skins from The Gamma Collection and The Gamma 2 Collection. It includes M4A1-S | Mecha Industries, Glock-18 | Wasteland Rebel, AK-47 | Neon Revolution, and FAMAS | Roll Cage.
How to Trade Up a Navaja Knife?
For players who looking for a Navaja Knife, the perfect choice could be The Danger Zone Collection (AK-47 | Asiimov, AWP | Neo-Noir), The Horizon Collection (AK-47 | Neon Rider, Desert Eagle | Code Red), The Prisma Collection (M4A4 | The Emperor, Five-SeveN | Angry Mob), or The Prisma 2 Collection (M4A1-S | Player Two, Glock-18 | Bullet Queen).
How to Trade Up a Nomad Knife?
To get a Nomad Knife through Trade-Ups, you can use AWP | Printstream or FAMAS | Bad Trip from The Fever Collection.
How to Trade Up a Paracord Knife?
Paracord Knife could also be obtained by using Covert skins from The Fever Collection, which contains AWP | Printstream or FAMAS | Bad Trip.
How to Trade Up Shadow Daggers?
If you want to obtain Shadow Daggers specifically, The Shadow Collection is the best option. This collection contains M4A1-S | Golden Coil and USP-S | Kill Confirmed.
How to Trade Up a Skeleton Knife?
Skeleton Knife is one of the knives that can be obtained by using Covert skins from The Fever Collection. In other words, use AWP | Printstream or FAMAS | Bad Trip to get one of the finishes for this knife model.
How to Trade Up a Stiletto Knife?
Players have a chance to obtain a Stiletto Knife by using Covert skins from The Prisma Collection (M4A4 | The Emperor, Five-SeveN | Angry Mob), and The Prisma 2 Collection (M4A1-S | Player Two, Glock-18 | Bullet Queen).
How to Trade Up a Survival Knife?
One more knife that you can obtain by using Covert skins from The Fever Collection is a Survival Knife. Without further ado, use AWP | Printstream or FAMAS | Bad Trip.
How to Trade Up a Talon Knife?
Players can use Covert skins from The Danger Zone Collection or The Horizon Collection to obtain a Talon Knife. You need to use AK-47 | Asiimov, AWP | Neo-Noir, AK-47 | Neon Rider, or Desert Eagle | Code Red.
How to Trade Up an Ursus Knife?
Similar to a Talon Knife, an Ursus Knife could also be obtained by using Covert skins from The Danger Zone Collection and The Horizon Collection. These collections include AK-47 | Asiimov, AWP | Neo-Noir, AK-47 | Neon Rider, and Desert Eagle | Code Red.
How to Trade Up Gloves?
Now, let’s find out how to Trade Up Gloves. The main principle is the same as with Knife Trade-Ups. Still, players must use Covert skins from the collection that contain specifically Gloves. Also, it’s crucial to notice that you can use only non-StatTrak skins. The reason is that there are no StatTrak Gloves in the game. It is also the reason why non-StatTrak Covert skins from the collection with Gloves are less valuable on the market.
So, let’s find the best Trade-Ups for Gloves, exploring the collection and skins you need to use in Trade-Ups.
How to Trade Up Gloves from Glove Case and Operation Hydra Case?
To Trade Up Gloves from the mentioned cases, players simply need to use Covert skins from The Glove Collection and The Operation Hydra Collection. These collections contain M4A4 | Buzz Kill, SSG 08 | Dragon Fire, AWP | Oni Taiji, and Five-SeveN | Hyper Beast.
How to Trade Up Gloves from Clutch Case and Revolution Case?
With Gloves from Clutch Case and Revolution Case, you need to use in Trade-Ups M4A4 | NeoNoir, MP7 | Bloodsport, AK-47 | Head Shot, or M4A4 | Temukau.
H3: How to Trade Up Gloves from Snakebite Case, Recoil Case, and Operation Broken Fang Case?
Lastly, if you are hunting for gloves from Snakebite Case, Recoil Case, and Operation Broken Fang Case, you must use Covert skins specifically from these collections. It includes USP-S | The Traitor, M4A4 | In Living Color, AWP | Chromatic Aberration, USP-S | Printstream, M4A1-S | Printstream, and Glock-18 | Neo-Noir.
The Best Covert Weapon Skins to Use for Knife Trade-Ups
Of course, it’s always nice to spend less and hope to get a high profit, rather than purchase the most valuable Covert skins with a cheap Trade-Up result. Here, we provide a list of the best Covert weapon skins to use for Knife Trade-Ups in CS2:
- Sawed-Off | The Kraken
- P90 | Asiimov
- MAC-10 | Neon Rider
- R8 Revolver | Fade
- P250 | See Ya Later
- MP9 | Starlight Protector
- FAMAS | Commemoration
- Five-SeveN | Angry Mob
- Glock-18 | Bullet Queen
- AUG | Chameleon
- AK-47 | Legion of Anubis
- AK-47 | Nightwish
We should also mention the same list for Gloves Trade-Ups:
- AK-47 | Head Shot
- AWP | Chromatic Aberration
- M4A4 | Temukau
By using the mentioned skins, players can save some funds and still get a nice reward.
CS2 Trade-Up Recipes for a Knife: Profit and Target Items
Still, we should also share the Trade-Up recipes. Such information is especially useful for players targeting a specific knife finish or looking to maximize their odds and get the best Trade-Ups CS2. At the same time, it’s better to remember that the result isn’t guaranteed. In addition to calculations, you also need to be lucky enough.
Here, we provide a table with target recipes:
| Target Knives | The Collection | Covert Skins |
| Karambit and M9 Bayonet (Doppler, Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth) | The Chroma Collection (1, 2, 3) | Galil AR | ChatterboxAWP | Man-o’-warM4A1-S | Hyper BeastMAC-10 | Neon RiderPP-Bizon | Judgement of AnubisM4A1-S | Chantico’s Fire |
| Karambit and M9 Bayonet (Gamma Doppler) | The Gamma Collection (1, 2) | Glock-18 | Wasteland RebelM4A1-S | Mecha IndustriesFAMAS | Roll CageAK-47 | Neon Revolution |
| Butterfly Knife and Huntsman Knife (Doppler, Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth) | The Spectrum Collection (1, 2) | AK-47 | BloodsportUSP-S | Neo-NoirP250 | See Ya LaterAK-47 | The Empress |
| Butterfly Knife (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) | The Breakout Collection | P90 | AsiimovM4A1-S | Cyrex |
| M9 Bayonet and Bayonet (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) | The Revolver Case Collection, The Bravo Collection, The Winter Offensive Collection | R8 Revolver | FadeM4A4 | Royal PaladinDesert Eagle | Golden KoiAK-47 | Fire SerpentSawed-Off | The KrakenM4A4 | Asiimov |
| Skeleton Knife (Doppler, Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth) | The Fever Collection | FAMAS | Bad TripAWP | Printstream |
| Skeleton Knife (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) | The Fracture Collection, The Shattered Web Collection | Desert Eagle | PrintstreamAK-47 | Legion of AnubisMAC-10 | StalkerAWP | Containment Breach |
| Huntsman Knife (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) | The Huntsman Collection | M4A4 | Desert-StrikeAK-47 | Vulcan |
| Talon Knife (Doppler, Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth) | The Prisma Collection (1, 2) | Five-SeveN | Angry MobM4A4 | The EmperorGlock-18 | Bullet QueenM4A1-S | Player Two |
Additionally, we also share the profit recipes. In other words, by using this table, you can understand what skins to use for a specific knife model and finish:
| Covert Skins | The Collection | Potential Result |
| Sawed-Off | The Kraken | The Winter Offensive Collection | Bayonet, Karambit, M9 Bayonet (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) |
| R8 Revolver | Fade | The Revolver Case Collection | Bayonet, Karambit, M9 Bayonet (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) |
| P250 | See Ya Later | The Spectrum 2 Collection | Butterfly, Bowie, Falchion, Huntsman (Gamma Doppler, Lore, Black Laminate) |
| MAC-10 | Neon Rider | The Horizon Collection | Navaja, Stiletto, Ursus, Talon (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) |
| AUG | Chameleon | The Phoenix Collection | Bayonet, Karambit, M9 Bayonet (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) |
| P90 | Asiimov | The Danger Zone Collection | Navaja, Stiletto, Ursus, Talon (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) |
| Five-SeveN | Angry Mob | The Prisma Collection | Navaja, Stiletto, Talon, Ursus (Doppler, Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth) |
| Glock-18 | Bullet Queen | The Prisma 2 Collection | Navaja, Stiletto, Talon, Ursus (Doppler, Marble Fade, Tiger Tooth) |
| AK-47 | Legion of Anubis | The Fracture Collection | Skeleton, Survival, Nomad, Paracord (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) |
| AK-47 | Nightwish, MP9 | Starlight Protector | The Dreams & Nightmares Collection | Butterfly, Bowie, Falchion, Huntsman (Gamma Doppler, Lore, Black Laminate) |
| FAMAS | Commemoration | The CS20 Collection | Classic Knife (Fade, Crimson Web, Case Hardened, Slaughter) |
To Sum Up
The Trade Up Update fundamentally changed the CS2 market by making Knives and Gloves more affordable for players. Moreover, by using the profit recipes, you can get a coveted Knife skin for less spending. Of course, it still relies on luck since nobody can guarantee the result. At the same time, it could be even more exciting than opening cases.
As always, remember to explore other materials on Hellcase Blog. Best settings, tactics, top-skin lists for any preference and budget: you can find everything you need to make your CS2 experience smoother and enjoyable. Play and win together with Hellcase!
FAQ
Yes, players must use five Covert skins. The final result depends on the collection these skins belong to and the luck.
Such Trade-Ups usually include P90 | Asiimov to get high-value Butterfly Knife finishes, AK-47 | Neon Revolution for Gamma Doppler Knives, and AK-47 Bloodsport for Doppler and Marble Fade finishes.
It usually relies on getting Sport Gloves | Hedge Maze, Sport Gloves | Pandora’s Box, Specialist Gloves | Crimson Kimono, Sport Gloves | Superconductor, and Specialist Gloves | Emerald Web. Players need to use M4A4 | Buzz Kill, SSG 08 | Dragon Fire, AWP | Oni Taiji, and Five-SeveN | Hyper Beast to have a chance of obtaining such glove finishes.
The cheapest Trade-Ups usually include unpopular weapon skins. For example, among such options are Sawed-Off | The Kraken, R8 Revolver | Fade, and MP9 | Starlight Protector. Using these skins gives you a chance to get Karambit, Butterfly Knife, or Bayonet finishes.
Radosław Davidović is Hellcase’s customer success manager. He enjoys blogging to share his knowledge and experience with customers.
